Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG-1, though if anyone knows where I can get a toy Zat'Nik'Tal, I'd love to know.
Neutral Ground
Chapter Two
"Heads up. Company."
SG-1 gathered together at the back of their cell as four Jaffa came to the door. The three males stood against the opposite wall as the lone female stepped foreword.
"I am Melasha, First Prime to Lady Ma'at. Lady Ma'at and Lord Thoth wish to speak with you all."
"Great. We can share recipes." O'Neill muttered. The First Prime ignored him.
"Please do not resist." She said, unlocking the door, then stepping aside as the door slid open.
SG-1 stepped slowly out of the cage, careful not to unnerve the zat carrying Jaffa. The First Prime gestured for the outsiders to follow her, and started walking.
They soon came to a walkway, a richly tiled floor covered by a clear half tube of apparent glass. In spite of themselves SG-1 stopped and looked around.
On either side of the walkway two huge pyramids rose from the ground. Both gleaming white in the suns light. Daniel estimated them to be easily twice the size of the Great Pyramid.
Then there was the city. The buildings were a strange mix of stone and technology as the cobblestone streets carried vehicles that seemed to hover along with beasts drawing carts. From this height the streets seemed to be teaming with ants as several thousand people went about their day.
It was like ancient earth meets Star Wars.
Looking farther away, several spaceports had cargo ships landing and lifting off. O'Neill gasped as he recognized one ship that looked Asgardian.
The Jaffa stood, letting them look. The First Prime of Ma'at actually looked amused. "Welcome to Kel'Ma'Shava, the Trade World."
Daniel Jackson, in spite of being a prisoner, was enthusiastically curious. "Are we on an Island? I see the ocean on three sides!"
"Yes. This Island is considered 'Neutral Ground'. By the desire of Lord Thoth and Lady Ma'at any people may come here to trade, as long as they follow the Laws of the Market Place."
"Truly?"
"Yes. Did you not know this?" Melasha looked at T'ealc. "You, at least, should know the Laws."
"I do. I had not realized that is where we had come until too late, however."
"Ah, yes. Apophis used the South Gate did he not? Then you would not have known of the East Gates address."
"Indeed."
"I will inform Lady Ma'at of this. Now come."
They crossed the very long walkway, then through several sloping halls until they finally entered a large Throne Room.
On a Dais sat two huge thrones, occupied by the Gould's Thoth and Ma'at. They sat watching the proceedings at the base of the Dais. There stood another Gould, and another throne, which he was not sitting on at the time.
The Jaffa ordered them to sit in the viewing gallery, and SG-1's eyes began to follow the pacing Gould. Melasha went to the Dais, ignoring the Gould when he began speaking.
"So, Mertouf. You have stolen goods, lied to this hall and our Rulers, and you killed a shopkeeper! You have one last opportunity to explain yourself!" The aliens rippling voice filled the room.
The spectators and several armed Jaffa watched the accused, which stood on one of six small wooden platforms. "Please! I beg mercy!" The accused man cried, collapsing to his knees.
"In the marketplace, there is no mercy when you break the Law! For Lying in this Hall of Truth, you serve one-year hard labor! For theft, three counts, you serve nine years hard labor!" The Judge paused.
"And for murder, you shall be executed in the south square. This will be carried out in ten years when you have served the rest of your sentence." With the final sentence he held up a hand, and rings burst from the floor, transporting the crying man to another place.
"Next Case!" The lower ranking Gould called, sitting in his throne.
Melasha had just returned, and said "Come."
Soon each of the four members of SG-1 stood on a different platform, while the Gould considered a tablet.
"Suref. Come here a moment." Ma'at said when he apparently had finished reading.
"Yes, my lady." He climbed the stairs and whispered to his queen. The lower ranking Gould looked surprised, then nodded thoughtfully. He walked back to his own throne and looked at SG-1."
"You, People of the Tau'ri, came here with lethal weapons to the Trade World?"
Jack sighed. "If that's where the Stargate landed us then yeah."
The judge ignored the frustration in his voice. "Is it true that none of you were aware of what this place was?"
"Indeed master of the Bizarre. I have only ever come to this world by the South Gate. I was aware of the other four Stargates but not their address. I did not know this was where we were to come."
"Five Stargates? Wow!" The Jaffa behind Jack tapped his elbow, and motioned for silence. "Sorry." The Colonel apologized.
"Why were you so armed?"
"Well, we keep meeting other armed people who shoot at us."
"And why travel if you find so much hostility?"
Daniel answered this one. "We are explorers. We like finding new cultures to communicate and trade with."
"Do you not also seek allies against the System Lords?"
"Um... That too."
The Gould Judge nodded. "The Laws state that weapons such as the ones you brought here are illegal, and the punishment is one year of hard labor for each count."
Jack opened his mouth to protest, but the Gould continued. "However, Lady Ma'at pointed out that you had not stepped away from the gate, which by tradition means you were not yet on the Trade World. As such, we will seize the illegal weapons as a fine, and all other equipment will be returned once you have learned the Laws."
"Huh?" O'Neill was confused.
"What?" Carter was shocked.
"Really?" Daniel was amazed.
T'ealc bowed at the waist in a polite gesture. "We thank you, Master of the Bizarre."
"Do not thank me, Jaffa. Thank the wise Lady Ma'at." The Judge looked to Ma'at bowing reverently to her.
"Thank you very much!" O'Neill meant it too. If a snakehead wanted to be reasonable when he or she had all the power, Jack would be very VERY polite.
"You are welcome, Jonathan O'Neill of the Tau'ri." Ma'at said, her voice somehow musical as well as classically Gould. She rose, stepping from the dais, and walking to the Colonel. "I took the time to translate the laws into your own written language. Read them as we finish the legal courts, then We should like to speak to you." She handed O'Neill a tablet, with a smile. She then turned and walked back to her throne. O'Neill didn't miss the fact that Thoth had watched him twice as closely as any of the Jaffa, though he didn't look...angry.
"Well... This is interesting."
AN: Nope, they ain't normal Gould at all are they? Well, they are still a bit egocentric and prone to really huge displays of gaudy power, but they are at least kinda friendly, eh?
Don't worry...it won't all be a bed of Roses...it'll just smell that way for a while.